Improvement in machines for making carriage-wheels



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

G. WV. HATCH, OF PARKMAN, OHIO.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 41,0011, dated December 22, 1863.

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, G. W. HATOH,of Parkman, lin the county of Geauga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Im provements in Machines for Making CarriagevWheels; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the construction and operation of the same,

.reference being had to the accompanying curacy in the structure of the wheel. A strong frame-work having a height about equal to a- Y common work-bench is shown at A, the posts ofwhich are a little inclined inward. at the top, for the purpose of securing tirxnness to the structure. AThe top of this frame is surmounted by a strong and solid plank, B, having a thickness of two or three inches, forming a bed or table, upon which the hub is placed and secured while the spokes are being set. In the center ofv this bed B is a hole, of about an inch in diameter, through which the rod G passes. This rod is made of iron, and

upon each end is cut a screw-thread, as shownv at C C". The upper end, C', is provided with awrenchnut, D, by the action of which the hub is secured in place, as hereinafter stated, during the opera-tion of setting the spokes. The hub is placed upon the table B, and the rod C passes through its center, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the rod C passes through the upper end of the swivel E, as shown at C. A thumbpiece, F, is fastened upon the rod C just above the swivel, by means ot' which the rod() can be adjusted endwise to suit the various lengths of the hubs. The lower end of the swivel E is provided with a short screw-bolt, G, which connects with a staple, H, in the oor I, and when the nut D is screwed down upon the 'hub the whole frame is rmly pressed upon and secured to the floor, thus giving great steadiness to the machine.

Upon one side of the machinel affix the arms J J, which extend outward from the frame about two feet. A sliding frame or cross-head, K, works in Ways formed in the inner faces of the pieces J J', and upon this cross-head is mounted a scale, L, (shown also in section at L,) by which the lengths of the spokes are determined by means of the graduated rod L', being brought into contact with the edge of the bed or table B.

The figures upon the scale indicate the length of the spokes. This scaleL is attached to the cross-head K at its outer end, and is mortised for the reception of the lower end of the headblocks, presently to be described. These head-blocks are three in number, and are marked No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, respectively. No. 1 is shown in place in Figs. 1 and 2, and Nos. 2 and 3 are shown detached in Figs. 3 and 4. All of them t into the same mortise in the cross-head K. The head-block No. 1 has a hole in its face side, (indicated by the dotted lines M, Fig. 1,) into which the ends of the spokes S enter after having been driven into the hub, and in which position they are sawed off to a uniform length preparatory to tied. A slit, N, serves as a guide to the saw. A spiral spring, O, is placed between the mortise in the cross-head K andthe frame A, the action of which is to keep the head-block By the compression of this spring the graduated scale L is brought into contact with the edge of the table B, which determines the distance the head-block moves toward the table. This movement of the head-block by means of the compression of the spring O is accomplished by means of the treadle P, which is strap, P', which passes over a roller, Q, and is attached to the cross-head at P. The treadle is operated by means of the foot, by which it is depressed, the action of the spring raising the treadle when the pressure is released. The graduated scale L is provided with a pawl, B, which falls into the notches upon the upper side of the scale, as indicated in Fig. 1. When the spokes have all been sawed off to the proper length the head-block No. 2 (seen detatched in Fignt) is introduced into its place. This head-block has a rest, T,

upon its face side, which su being tcnoned in the manner hereinafter specipressed back to the position shown in Fig. 2.

connected to the head-block by means of a the spokes while beingtenoned. The tenon is eut by means of a hollow auger, l", which is turned by a crank, the graduated scale L being so adjusted as to cut the tenon to the proper length. The headblcek No. 2, as in the former case, is moved up to the work by depressing the treadle P.- Vhen the spokes are all tenoned, the head block No. 2 is removed, and the head block No. 3 is introduced. This head-block is shown detached in Fig. 5, and carries the bit or auger for boring the holes in the fellies. It is, like the others, moved forward by the action ofthe treadle I and back by the spring O. 4All ofthe headblocks are secured in the inortise in the crosshead, at any desired height, by means cfa setscrew, U. (Shown in Fig. 2.) In order to se! cure Ithe fellies in their proper position for boring, I constructa segmenttable. (Shown detached in Fig. 3.) It is of a triangular forni, and when in use is secured upon the top otA the hub, Vas shown in Fig. l, by )means ot' the rod C, passing through the hole V and being held in place by the nut D. Upon the top ot the table I secure two spring-grips, W, which are of equal radial length, and theffelly X is secured by them for beingbored, in the man-` ner shown in Figs. l and 3. The felly is marked oft' for the holes for the tenons and placed against the shoulders of the springgrips W, as before stated, and moved along from point to point, as required, till all the holes are bored.

The operation of this machine is as follows: The hub is placed upon the center of the table B, the rod U passing through its center and firmly secured bythe nut D. The spokes are thenf driven into the-mortises in the hub in the usual manner. The head-block No. lis now inserted into the mortise and so adjusted as to allow the ends of the spokes to enter the hole M. The graduated scale L is then set to the number corresponding to the size of the wheel. I then bring the headblock fore y A 41,004

l ward rby depressing the treadie until the scale L comes in contact with the edge of tle bed B, and then saw ott' the spoke by passing the saw into the slit N, and-this operation is repeated till all of the spokes are sawed o tothe r quir(d length. I then remove head-l lock No. l and .insert head-block No. 2 and place it L the depth ot the felly I bring the headblock to bear upon the spokes by means of 'theY treadle P and cut the tenon by means of the hollow auger T. until one after another all are tenoned. I then remove head-block No.2 and put in its place head-block No. 3. The triangular table, Fig. 3, is now secured in its place upon the top of the hub and the fellies, properly marked off, introduced under the springgrips \V. An auger of proper size being placed in head-block No. 3,Iproeeedto bore all of the. holes in the fellies. The triangular table isthen removed, the fellies set, and the Awheel is finished oi in the usual manner. Thus all the several operations of making the wheel after the hub and spokes are prepared are performed upon the saine Ina ehinc without removing the hub.

fhat I. claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

attachments G and H, arranged as and for the purpose specitied. Y

in g and operating the head-blocks, as set forth. 3. The graduated scale L, in combination with' the head-blocks Nos..1,.2, and 3, and cross-head K, constructed and operated substantially as and for'the purpose specified.

stantially as describethfor thepurposeofholding the felly while being bored, as set forth.

. G. W. HATCH. Witnesses:

W. H. BURRIDGE, P. A. BRINK.

in position, and after setting back the scale l. The frame A,bed B,rod C, swivel E, and" 2. The arms J and crosshead K,for reeeiv- 4. The table, Fig. 3, when constructed sub-7 A 

